Leuze sensors in a modern logistics centre

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March 2012 Sensors & Transducers

Leuze electronic sensor systems have been installed in one of Europe’s most modern logistics centres in Weilerswist near Cologne. The new dm-drogerie markt logistics centre covers a total area of 50 0000 square metres including the order picking warehouse for pallets and small parts as well as the high–bay warehouse. This massive facility boasts 18 000 pallet spaces, 5000 order picking spaces, 13 high–bay storage devices and some 3500 metres of pallet conveyors and has the capacity to handle up to 390 pallets per hour.

On top of this, there are some 140 000 storage spaces in the small–parts area in which 52 high–bay storage devices are used to warehouse, supply items in the order picking zones and retrieve the order containers used here. Small parts and boxed goods still on pallets can be temporarily stored in 30 metre tall high–bay warehouses in 14 000 additional pallet storage places. To facilitate order picking, up to 163 controlled telpher line vehicles or ‘caddies’ travel through the aisles over a total length of more than 2000 metres.

The complexity and high level of automation give insight into the demands placed on the sensor systems: specialised Leuze sensors are used to direct the flow of goods over extensively branched pallet and container handling technology; to position high-bay storage devices and telpher lines; to ensure the functions of machines such as robots, stretchers and turners and to transmit data and provide protection in safety areas. Some 1800 pallets carrying over 15 000 different articles are delivered to the dm markets every day from the new distribution centre.

Quick identification, switching, data transmission and storage

The Leuze sensors used in the new dm–drogerie markt drugstore chain distribution centre are a key component of the state-of-the-art system technology. From the simple switching sensor to high-end solutions for barcode identification of pallets and boxes, Leuze solutions are playing a major role in ensuring the accurate and productive performance of the centre.

By using scanners for the precise positioning of high-bay storage devices and order picking telpher lines, as well as systems for wireless data transmission, Swisslog has created a gigantic logistics solution for the dm – drogerie markt in Weilerswist and as far as efficiency goes has broken new ground in Europe.

Some 700 barcode readers are located at each branch of the extensive material flow system allowing reliable and fast product identification. These devices were selected according to the necessary scanning distances and reading field sizes. Leuze positioning systems are used for the positioning of the high-bay storage devices and the CaddyPick telpher line vehicles, offering a high level of functional reliability and redundant data polling as well as minimal maintenance.

The transmission of the position data in the 75 metre long aisles is performed by DDLS 200 data transmission photoelectric sensors which permit contact and wear free optical communication without interference at a transmission rate of up to 2 Mbit/s over distances of up to 500 metres.

For more information contact Gerry Bryant, Countapulse Controls, +27 (0)11 615 7556, [email protected], www.countapulse.co.za

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Sensors & Transducers

Leuze sensors in a modern logistics centre

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